1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to surgical apparatuses for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as endoscopic and/or laparoscopic procedures, and more particularly, relates to a surgical apparatus that allows multiple surgical instruments to be inserted through a single incision.
2. Description of Related Art
Today, many surgical procedures are performed through small incisions in the skin, as compared to large incisions that are typically required in traditional procedures, in an effort to reduce trauma to the patient and reduce the patient's recovery time. Generally, such procedures are referred to as “endoscopic”, unless performed on the patient's abdomen, in which case the procedure is referred to as “laparoscopic.” Throughout the present disclosure, the term “minimally invasive” should be understood to encompass both endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures.
During a typical minimally invasive procedure, surgical objects, such as endoscopes, graspers, staplers and forceps, are inserted into the patient's body through the incision in tissue. In general, prior to the introduction of the surgical object into the patient's body, insufflation gas is supplied to the target surgical site to enlarge its surrounding area and create a larger, more accessible work area. This is accomplished with a substantially fluid-tight seal that maintains the insufflation gas at a pressure sufficient to inflate the target surgical site.
Different patients or different target surgical sites have different tissue thicknesses. For that reason, it is desirable to have the substantially fluid-tight seal adaptable to accommodate different tissue thicknesses. It is also desirable to insert instrumentation at the target surgical site while maintaining the pressure of the insufflation gas by using the substantially fluid-tight seal. Further, it is desirable to increase ease of use or increase maneuverability of multiple instruments simultaneously operated through the substantially fluid-tight seal.
The existing access devices in the prior art such as wound retractors may accomplish one objective addressed above but fails to meet all the other objectives. For instance, wound retractors are generally known for permitting operation of multiple instruments therethrough, but are also known for their drawbacks such as failure to prevent escape of insufflation gas, difficult placement and cumbersome use.
Based on the above, a continuing need exists for an access device to provide greater freedom of movement of surgical instruments, with enhanced sealing and retraction features, and with increased flexibility to accommodate tissues of different thicknesses.